Retrace your steps, Afenifere leaders told

A Yoruba socio-cultural group, Yoruba Ronu, has advised the leadership of Afenifere to have a re-think over what it described as “politics of deceit and activities that are inimical to the interest of the Yoruba”.

Members of the group, led by their president, Prince Diran Iyantan visited The Nation Corporate Head Office, Matori, Lagos, yesterday.

They noted that the present leadership of Afenifere has abandoned all that the late sage, Chief Obafemi Awolowo, stood for.

Iyantan, a former Commissioner for Local Government and Chieftaincy in Ondo State, wondered why the Afenifere should be promoting a failed administration, inept leadership as represented by the Jonathan administration.

According to him, the Yoruba suffered the greatest neglect and marginalisation under Jonathan more than any other administration in the nation’s history.

He said: “It is surprising and ungodly that there are only two Yoruba men among the first 50 top positions in Nigeria; despite the fact that a Yoruba man “installed” Goodluck Jonathan.

“This is not considering the fact that Jonathan received the highest votes from a Yoruba state (Lagos).

“Despite the availability of great and illustrious sons and daughters of Yoruba, Jonathan and PDP have consistently been promoting bad eggs of the Yoruba race.”

Iyantan said he could not understand why any rational thinking Yoruba man or woman will be promoting a regime that has not hidden its hatred for the race.

“Unless the Afenifere leaders change their focus and align with the struggle of the main stream political leadership in the Southwest, the group is heading towards oblivion.

“The main reason why the Afenifere leaders are going against the norms of Awo philosophy is the meteoric rise of Senator Bola Tinubu.

“He built a formidable opposition in the country with only one state, Lagos. If not for him, there wouldn’t be any opposition in this country today. None of us will be talking of change today.

“Tinubu achieved the political leadership in the Southwest and the nation at large through his contributions and perseverance.”

The former commissioner also took a swipe at the Yoruba Council of Elders (YCE), led by Gen. Adeyinka Adebayo, for joining the fray of politics of inducement and commercialisation.

“The YCE is supposed to be neutral in political matters. We are pained that the YCE is now hobnobbing with the oppressors of their race. I know their children are not supporting what they are doing rather they are in the fore-front of the struggle to liberate Nigerians from the pangs of desperadoes.”

He advised President Jonathan to desist from any act that would plunge the country into crisis before, during and after the elections.